Washington D.C.—The National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC), a non-profit organization, dedicated to providing information and resources that will help seniors remain independent, has endorsed the Audiology Patient Choice Act, and has featured ADA’s Secretary, Rita Chaiken, Au.D., and this landmark legislation in a recent notice to members.
“The endorsement of the Audiology Patient Choice Act by NAIPC, a respected leading advocate for senior citizens, is indeed compelling,” said Dr. Chaiken. “It speaks directly to the indisputable need to bring Medicare in line with today’s best practices in the delivery of hearing and balance healthcare services. I am confident that the NAIPC endorsement will help make the case for Congress to make the common-sense changes necessary to ensure that older Americans receive exceptional, efficient and cost-effective audiologic care.”
The Audiology Patient Choice Act, introduced in the 113th Congress by Representative Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA), will:
- Improve access to qualified, licensed Medicare providers, by allowing seniors with a suspected hearing or balance disorder to seek treatment directly from audiologists, eliminating archaic medical doctor referral requirements.
- Allow patients to choose among qualified providers for Medicare-covered audiologic services by authorizing Medicare to reimburse audiologists for the Medicare-covered services that they are licensed to provide. These services are already covered by Medicare when delivered by other providers.
- Address the medical doctor workforce shortage confronting our country, while helping to meet the increasing demand for health care services by the growing Medicare population, through the inclusion of audiologists in the list of Medicare-recognized physicians (chiropractors, dentists, doctors of osteopathy, medical doctors, optometrists and podiatrists).
About NAIPC
The National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC) is the primary source of information and resources for seniors seeking to remain active and healthy throughout their retirement years. It has established a network of professionals from the private, public and non-profit sectors who help them plan for future housing and care needs. NAIPC advocates for policies, regulations and business practices that promote Aging in Place. NAIPC released an Aging in Place Planning Guide, which is an indispensable resource for senior citizens. Visit www.ageinplace.org for more information.
For more information about the Audiology Patient Choice Act, please visit www.18x18.org:
- View talking points and Fast Facts
- Contact your legislators via Congressional Connect
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